As the giving season is here upon us, we gathered three gifts for you! The first is a list of ideas for a quick fix for retreat and yoga related gift ideas. We’ve scoured the internet for the best, and importantly the worst, gift lists we could find!

The second gift is a short read on why our first gift should NOT be used lightly. It’s a small “essay” on the gift of giving, a philosophy that my husband and I TRY to adhere to, but often don’t succeed. But it is nice to remind ourselves of the real power of giving and receiving.

The third gift is the best, a little video that we know will make you smile, relax, and feel the power of Bob Ross! For those outside of the US, this guy might not be familiar to you, but he certainly should. Enjoy and be merry!

Gift 2. The gift of giving

More and more I hear friends complain about gift giving. I understand! It’s tough to come up with ideas that won’t lead to simply more consumerism, insincere gratitude, and then stuff collecting dust on a shelf. This is especially true because we all seem to be more busy than ever before. We have less and less time for creative, thoughtful, and strategic gift giving.

It takes a special kind of person to be a good gift giver. They are special because they care! Not to be harsh about this, but it’s true! When someone cares, they take the time needed to think about what the other person not just wants or needs, but what they will truly appreciate from you. And that’s to show them that you care by giving some effort!

That effort is almost always the best gift, because it demonstrates the sacrifice of the ultimate resource, TIME. This can be expressed as time spent thinking (creativity) about the perfect gift or actual time spend such as baking or crafting a gift.

Sure a gift card can relieve you of your duty, but that’s not the point of showing someone you care because money is just an intermediary that dilutes effort. Money is earned with time and effort, and it surely can be well spent, but it’s not the present itself.

Be creative this giving season. And if you don’t have time, make some next go around! Use your calendar! Use notifications on your phone! Get yourself a gift-giving partner who nags you into caring shape!

Do this and you’ll realize real fast that giving is the best gift of all. It takes the focus off of ourselves and onto others. It warms the heart and nurtures the people around us who truly matter!

Remember, it’s not what’s under the tree, it’s who’s around it!

Gift 3. The peaceful power of Bob Ross!

This is a short 3 minute video that says so much! Watch, smile, and then go and give!